Chicago area emissions testing

My loose master plan for my 81 Rabbit convertible is to give it to my
daughter when she turns 16 in a few years. She lives in Palatine Il which

requires emission testing (over 75% of the country doesn't require testing
and my ex has to move to one of the areas that does). I've done an engine
swap and some other changes (like a GTI air flow meter and fuel
distributor). Now that I've got it all where I want it I'll need to see if I
can get it to pass emissions. Somebody out there has to live in the Chicago
area and has upgraded an old VW. Have you guys had any problems with
emission testing and how did you get around it.
Thanks
Steve

Cool, I didn't even think about that. The other thing that I'm not sure of
is that I know some states do a visual inspection to see if it has a cat
still on it. I don't know about Il. So I might fail it before I even start.
I was hoping someone from Il would tell me exactly what they expect for.
thanks again
Steve

Thanks for the info John.
What is a AV plate? If I'm just two years away from no testing then no
problem I won't be back in Illinois for at least one more year then I could
just register it somewhere else for another year.
Steve
wrote:

: Thanks for the info John.
: What is a AV plate? If I'm just two years away from no testing then no
: problem I won't be back in Illinois for at least one more year then I could
: just register it somewhere else for another year.
Antique Vehicle. They are .25 the cost of regular plates too as they last
for four years.

aren't there some conditions with these types of plates.
You can only drive them X amount of miles per year
And supposedly only to certain locations with maybe a leisure drive once in a
while.
read here
http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/pdf_publications/vsd35511.pdf
later,
dave
Reminder........
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way,
when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their
shoes. Frieda Norris

Dave,
Thanks for the advise. Yep the O2 sensor still works. one of the first
things that I had to replace for a stable idle when I first got the car. In
fact I just checked the system (cis with lambda) with a dwell meter and it
was dead on %50 (45 degrees on dwell). I think that I could get access to an
exhaust analyzer to tweak it a little more if necessary but I don't know
what the spec is for my car. Plus as I understand it they do the test while
on a dyno so checking emissions at idle probably would do me any good
anyway.
Thanks again
Steve
wrote:

The Rabbit will probably pass. :-)
They might look for a cat. conv though. :-(
later,
dave
Reminder........
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way,
when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their
shoes. Frieda Norris

I would suggest licensing it where you live (as long as it's in IL)
and then just taking it up there after that.
I live in Towanda, IL (not too far from Bloomington) and there is no
emissions testing around here. My cousin had a '79 Chevy pickup that
we had put a pretty hot 350 motor in and took all the emissions
equiptment off of it, including the cat. He went away to school in
Naperville and when he tried to license it up there, it wouldn't pass
emissions testing. So he just left it licensed under his parents'
address in Bloomington, and took it up there with him.
--
Tony Kimmell
'96 Chevy C-1500
'84 VW Rabbit diesel
'81 VW Rabbit diesel (parts)
wrote:

HI Tony
I know well were Towanda is. I grew up in Havana and took RT136 to I-55 and
then pass Towanda on the way to Chicago to see many Card-Cub games in my
youth. I'm in the military currently in Bremerton WA and have the car
registered in Havana. The one concern that have with keeping it registered
there is that I think Palatine requires some kind of City Sticker that I
think would require the emission test to be passed. I don't really want to
give my daughter a car that gets her stopped for no sticker then get
another fine for no emissions testing. Plus have you ever heard of a 16 yr
old driver that didn't get pull over for something ( I know it took me less
the a month for my first speeding ticket). So I imagine a scenario she gets
pulled over for speeding they bounce the registration off where her driver's
license says she lives and she gets a big fine.
Thanks for the advice
Steve
wrote:

:>
:>: My loose master plan for my 81 Rabbit convertible is to give it to my:>: daughter when she turns 16 in a few years. She lives in Palatine Il which:>: requires emission testing (over 75% of the country doesn't require testing:>: and my ex has to move to one of the areas that does). I've done an engine:>: swap and some other changes (like a GTI air flow meter and fuel:>: distributor). Now that I've got it all where I want it I'll need to see if
:>I
:>: can get it to pass emissions. Somebody out there has to live in the Chicago:>: area and has upgraded an old VW. Have you guys had any problems with:>: emission testing and how did you get around it.
:>
:>: Thanks:>: Steve
:>
:>Well, for my 86 GTI when I took it in for the tests, I don't recall them:>spending much time looking under it. The test is graduated depending on :>age so you might pass just fine... For $25 you can take it into the
:>Schaumburg
:>test site off Golf road and they'll test it (it's free if you received a :>test notice, if you just want to test it, you have to pay). That's not too:>far from Palatine.
:>
:>I think your right on the fringe of testing.. in 2006 you can put AV plates:>on it and then you don't need testing...
:>
: There IS hope!
: Testing is supposed to be free even without a notice. :-)
No it's not, it's only free if you get a notice, otherwise people could take
their cars in anytime they wanted for free and make the lines longer... If
you don't have a notice, it's $25 because the state won't reimburse them for
testing a car that doesn't have to be tested (it's a private company that
does the testing).
: The examiners that I have seen do glance under the vehicles with mirrors so it
: is not really a thorough job, but I am not sure that they are looking for the
: required cat. conv. Not even sure that some of them know what they look like.
: lol
Well, with the stuff running down the middle of the car, and the cursory
glance under the car, I think if you didn't have it but your emissions were
in line, that they wouldn't notice.
: If you do add one, make sure it is a high flow cat so it does not spoil your
: mods already done.
: Remember that if it fails they will give you a waiver after the three failure
: if you have spent enough to correct the emission problems. So do nothing until
: after the first test! ;-)
Yes, although if you fail you need to spend up to $450 in repairs each time
(every 2 years) that you fail and you have to take it to a certified shop,
they probably won't let you go without a cat.

:>No it's not, it's only free if you get a notice, otherwise people could take:>their cars in anytime they wanted for free and make the lines longer... If :>you don't have a notice, it's $25 because the state won't reimburse them for:>testing a car that doesn't have to be tested (it's a private company that :>does the testing).
: I just sent someone to have their vehicle tested the same month they bought the
: vehicle, 97 Passat VR6, and they tested it with no fee here in Chicago. I
: wanted to make sure the used VW would pass emissions, it was one of the
: conditions on the Bill of Sale.
: I guess different stations have their own RULE$. 8^)
http://www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim/faq/voluntary.html says $20 (I though $25).
If your running people thru the tests for free let me know so I can contact
the Illinois Attorney General and point them to another place that is draining
our already in debt state of $'s ;-)
I'm taxed enough... what car dealership do you work for? And would you
give me $2k on a 86GTI tradin?

Hi John,
It could be since she had just bought the Passat, maybe they made it an
official test.
It did not exactly fall into the other three categories.
I will ask her again to see if she paid a fee.
Maybe one of the advantages for females. 8^)
I am independent. :-)
good luck with the sale of the 86 GTi.
later,
dave
Reminder........
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way,
when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their
shoes. Frieda Norris

:>
:>:>No it's not, it's only free if you get a notice, otherwise people could
:>take
:>:>their cars in anytime they wanted for free and make the lines longer... If :>:>you don't have a notice, it's $25 because the state won't reimburse them
:>for
:>:>testing a car that doesn't have to be tested (it's a private company that :>:>does the testing).
:>
:>: I just sent someone to have their vehicle tested the same month they bought
:>the
:>: vehicle, 97 Passat VR6, and they tested it with no fee here in Chicago. I:>: wanted to make sure the used VW would pass emissions, it was one of the:>: conditions on the Bill of Sale.
:>
:>: I guess different stations have their own RULE$. 8^)
:>
:>http://www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim/faq/voluntary.html says $20 (I though
:>$25).
:>
:>If your running people thru the tests for free let me know so I can contact:>the Illinois Attorney General and point them to another place that is
:>draining
:>our already in debt state of $'s ;-)
:>
:>I'm taxed enough... what car dealership do you work for? And would you:>give me $2k on a 86GTI tradin?
:>
:>-- :>John Nelson
: Hi John,
: It could be since she had just bought the Passat, maybe they made it an
: official test.
: It did not exactly fall into the other three categories.
: I will ask her again to see if she paid a fee.
: Maybe one of the advantages for females. 8^)
: I am independent. :-)
: good luck with the sale of the 86 GTi.
Ah, well, if you know of a later model GTI around and can work out a trade
deal... keep me in mind... I like the car, but I think something a bit
newer would be better, even if just a 90's version...

I personally like the 86 GTis, but if you want something newer definitely go
for it. :-)
I will keep my eyes open for a clean one.
Are you going for the 16V or ???
I looked at a 97 GTi and their doors were damaged at the lower hinges. I feel
the doors are too heavy and not properly reinforced from the factory causing
the door to crack at the hinge area.
NOT GOOD! :-(
later,
dave
Reminder........
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way,
when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their
shoes. Frieda Norris

:>Ah, well, if you know of a later model GTI around and can work out a trade:>deal... keep me in mind... I like the car, but I think something a bit :>newer would be better, even if just a 90's version...
:>
:>-- :>John Nelson
: I personally like the 86 GTis, but if you want something newer definitely go
: for it. :-)
: I will keep my eyes open for a clean one.
: Are you going for the 16V or ???
Yep... something with a little more pep. Or might rebuild this one, been
looking at crankshafts on ebay...

Log in

Motorsforum.com is a website by car enthusiasts for car enthusiasts. It is not affiliated with any of the car or spare part manufacturers or car dealers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.